Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC) Shares Cross Below 200-Day Moving Average - Here's Why

Key Points

• Hancock Whitney shares fell below their 200-day moving average, trading as low as $63.27 and last at $65.00, versus the 200-day average of $71.04.
• The bank agreed to acquire Trustmark in an approximately $3.2 billion all-stock deal; a law firm is investigating whether shareholders are receiving a fair price, adding uncertainty around the transaction.
• Latest quarterly results met expectations, with EPS of $1.66 and revenue of $421.91 million. The company also announced a $0.50 quarterly dividend, equivalent to a 3.1% yield.

Shares of Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:HWC - Get Free Report) crossed below its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday. The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $71.04 and traded as low as $63.27. Hancock Whitney shares last traded at $65.00, with a volume of 6,680,222 shares.

Latest Hancock Whitney News

Investors following HWC have been watching these news items:

• Neutral Sentiment: Hancock Whitney agreed to acquire Trustmark Corporation in an approximately $3.2 billion all-stock deal. The transaction could expand the company’s scale, but its ultimate effect on shareholder value will depend on the terms, execution, and benefits of combining the banks. Hancock Whitney to buy Trustmark in $3.2B deal
• Negative Sentiment: Shareholder-rights law firm Halper Sadeh said it is investigating whether Hancock Whitney is obtaining a fair price for shareholders. The announcement is an inquiry, not a finding of wrongdoing, but it may add uncertainty around the transaction. HWC Stock Alert: Halper Sadeh LLC is Investigating Whether Hancock Whitney Corporation is Obtaining a Fair Price for its Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research lowered several quarterly and annual earnings estimates, including its FY2027 forecast to $7.12 per share from $7.22 and FY2028 to $7.68 from $7.72. The firm maintained a Hold rating; these modest cuts may weigh on sentiment, though the estimates predate the acquisition announcement. Zacks Research earnings estimate updates

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Stephens reduced their price objective on shares of Hancock Whitney from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Zacks Research lowered shares of Hancock Whitney from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their target price on shares of Hancock Whitney from $80.00 to $79.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Hancock Whitney from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 15th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Hancock Whitney from $87.00 to $86.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Hancock Whitney currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $84.56.

Hancock Whitney Trading Down 10.2%

The firm has a market cap of $5.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.08 and a beta of 0.98. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $73.09 and a 200-day simple moving average of $71.04. The company has a current ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05.

Hancock Whitney (NASDAQ:HWC - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 20th. The company reported $1.66 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.66. Hancock Whitney had a return on equity of 11.65% and a net margin of 20.51%. The firm had revenue of $421.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $421.75 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.49 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Hancock Whitney Corporation will post 6.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hancock Whitney Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 4th will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 4th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.1%. Hancock Whitney's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 40.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Hancock Whitney news, insider Emory L. Mayfield, Jr. sold 4,990 shares of Hancock Whitney stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.40, for a total value of $381,236.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 15,565 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,189,166. This trade represents a 24.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.92% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Hancock Whitney

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Emerald Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Hancock Whitney during the second quarter worth $3,085,000. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in Hancock Whitney by 16.4% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 807,585 shares of the company's stock worth $51,354,000 after buying an additional 114,029 shares during the period. Squarepoint Ops LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Hancock Whitney by 84.7% in the 2nd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 384,570 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,735,000 after buying an additional 176,389 shares in the last quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP boosted its position in shares of Hancock Whitney by 139.9% in the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 47,921 shares of the company's stock worth $3,047,000 after purchasing an additional 27,942 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jupiter Topco LLC purchased a new stake in Hancock Whitney during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,556,000. 81.22% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Hancock Whitney Company Profile

Hancock Whitney is a bank holding company headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi, whose principal subsidiary is Hancock Whitney Bank. The company provides personal and business banking services, including deposit accounts, loans, treasury management, mortgage lending, and online and mobile banking. It also offers wealth management, trust, and investment services. The bank serves customers across the Gulf South, with operations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. Its history includes roots in Hancock County Bank, founded in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, in 1899, and Whitney National Bank, established in New Orleans in 1883.

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